Object identification and search range adjustment method and apparatus

Abstract

A method includes processing an inquiry to identify an object outside a vehicle, wherein the inquiry is made by an occupant of the vehicle. The method also includes determining a direction of occupant focus at a time of receiving the inquiry. The method further includes detecting a quantity of lanes of a road upon which the vehicle is travelling. The method additionally includes setting one or more search areas extending from the vehicle in response to the inquiry and based on a determined quantity of lanes between the vehicle and a side of the road, wherein the side of the road is ahead in the direction of occupant focus. The method also includes causing one or more geographical fences corresponding to the one or more search areas to be set with respect to the vehicle on a geographical map in response to the inquiry.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 processing an inquiry to identify an object outside a vehicle, the inquiry being made by an occupant of the vehicle; 
 determining a direction of occupant focus at a time of receiving the inquiry; 
 detecting a quantity of lanes of a road upon which the vehicle is travelling; 
 setting one or more search areas extending from the vehicle in response to the inquiry and based on a determined quantity of lanes between the vehicle and a side of the road, wherein the side of the road is ahead in the direction of occupant focus; 
 causing one or more geographical fences corresponding to the one or more search areas to be set with respect to the vehicle on a geographical map in response to the inquiry; 
 searching map data associated with the geographical map to identify a candidate object of interest within the one or more geographical fences; 
 searching a database for information about the candidate object of interest within the one or more geographical fences; and 
 generating an output in response to the inquiry comprising the information about the candidate object. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more search areas comprise one of a first search area extending from the vehicle in a first direction or a second search area extending from the vehicle in a second direction different from the first direction, and the method further comprises:
 causing the setting of the one or more search areas to include the one of the first search area or the second search area based on the direction of occupant focus; and 
 refraining from including the other of the first search area or the second search area based on the direction of occupant focus. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the direction of occupant focus is based on a detected pointing motion made by the occupant of the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the direction of occupant focus is based on a detected gaze of the occupant of the vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more search areas comprise at least two search areas including a first search area extending from the vehicle in a first direction or a second search area extending from the vehicle in a second direction different from the first direction, and all of the first search area and the second search area are included among the search areas corresponding to the one or more geographical fences to identify the candidate object of interest. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 adjusting a size of the first search area and a size of the second search area based on one or more of a change in the direction of occupant focus or a detected lane change. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more search areas comprise at least two search areas including a first search area extending from the vehicle toward a first side of the road and a second search area extending from the vehicle toward a second side of the road, the first search area extends beyond the first side of the road by a first distance, the second search area extends beyond the second side of the road by a second distance, and the first distance is equal to the second distance. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more search areas are each a triangle, with an apex of each triangle being at the vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more search areas adapt to a vehicle speed and increase in size from a first set size based on an increase in vehicle speed. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more search areas adapt to a vehicle changing lanes and correspondingly increase or decrease in size from a first set size based on a detected lane change. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: 
 process an inquiry to identify an object outside a vehicle, the inquiry being made by an occupant of the vehicle; 
 determine a direction of occupant focus at a time of receiving the inquiry; 
 detect a quantity of lanes of a road upon which the vehicle is travelling; 
 set one or more search areas extending from the vehicle in response to the inquiry and based on a determined quantity of lanes between the vehicle and a side of the road, wherein the side of the road is ahead in the direction of occupant focus; 
 cause one or more geographical fences corresponding to the one or more search areas to be set with respect to the vehicle on a geographical map in response to the inquiry; 
 search map data associated with the geographical map to identify a candidate object of interest within the one or more geographical fences; 
 search a database for information about the candidate object of interest within the one or more geographical fences; and 
 generate an output in response to the inquiry comprising the information about the candidate object. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more search areas comprise one of a first search area extending from the vehicle in a first direction or a second search area extending from the vehicle in a second direction different from the first direction, and the apparatus is further caused to:
 cause the setting of the one or more search areas to include the one of the first search area or the second search area based on the direction of occupant focus; and 
 refrain from including the other of the first search area or the second search area based on the direction of occupant focus. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the direction of the occupant focus is based on a detected pointing motion made by the occupant. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the direction of the occupant focus is based on a detected gaze of the occupant. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more search areas comprise at least two search areas including a first search area extending from the vehicle in a first direction or a second search area extending from the vehicle in a second direction different from the first direction, and all of the first search area and the second search area are included among the search areas corresponding to the one or more geographical fences to identify the candidate object of interest. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 adjust a size of the first search area and a size of the second search area based on one or more of a change in the direction of occupant focus or a detected lane change. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more search areas comprise at least two search areas including a first search area extending from the vehicle toward a first side of the road and a second search area extending from the vehicle toward a second side of the road, the first search area extends beyond the first side of the road by a first distance, the second search area extends beyond the second side of the road by a second distance, and the first distance is equal to the second distance. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more search areas adapt to a vehicle speed and increase in size from a first set size based on an increase in vehicle speed. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more search areas adapt to a vehicle changing lanes and correspondingly increase or decrease in size from a first set size based on a detected lane change. 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to:
 process an inquiry to identify an object outside a vehicle, the inquiry being made by an occupant of the vehicle; 
 determine a direction of occupant focus at a time of receiving the inquiry; 
 detect a quantity of lanes of a road upon which the vehicle is travelling; 
 set one or more search areas extending from the vehicle in response to the inquiry and based on a determined quantity of lanes between the vehicle and a side of the road, wherein the side of the road is ahead the direction of occupant focus; 
 cause one or more geographical fences corresponding to the one or more search areas to be set with respect to the vehicle on a geographical map in response to the inquiry; 
 search map data associated with the geographical map to identify a candidate object of interest within the one or more geographical fences; 
 search a database for information about the candidate object of interest within the one or more geographical fences; and 
 generate an output in response to the inquiry comprising the information about the candidate object.